§  Is press freedom under threat in India.?

§  Impact of Taliban minister’s ‘men-only’ press meet.?

§  How did India respond to women exclusion at Taliban event.?

§  Why were female journalists barred from Taliban press meet.?

§  What happened at Amir Khan Muttaqi’s Delhi press conference.?

The Taliban Foreign Minister’s press conference in New Delhi has triggered nationwide outrage after women journalists were completely banned from attending the event. Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi held an exclusive “men-only” media interaction at the Afghan Embassy, sparking fierce political debate and criticism from opposition leaders.

Details & Context

On Friday, October 10, 2025, Muttaqi conducted a controversial press conference following his diplomatic meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. The Taliban delegation made the deliberate decision to exclude all female journalists from the event, despite multiple news organizations sending women reporters to cover the significant diplomatic engagement.

Several prominent female journalists, including correspondents from major Indian news channels and The Independent, were denied entry to the Afghan Embassy premises. Security personnel and Delhi Police officials reportedly stopped women journalists outside the embassy, even though many had adhered to conservative dress codes typically required by Taliban authorities.

The exclusion decision was made entirely by Taliban officials accompanying Muttaqi, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Indian government had reportedly suggested including women reporters among the invitees but this recommendation was clearly rejected by the Afghan delegation.

This press conference occurred just hours after the historic bilateral talks between Jaishankar and Muttaqi, where India announced upgrading its Technical Mission in Kabul to full embassy status. However, no joint press conference was held between the two foreign ministers following their official meeting.

Quotes

·       YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, Posted on Tweeter: “BJP trolls are now defending Taliban.! Ye kya kya dekhna padh raha hai…”

·       P. Chidambaram, Former Union Home Minister: “I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by Mr Amir Khan Muttaqi of Afghanistan. In my personal view, the men journalists should have walked out when they found that their women colleagues were excluded”.

·       Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress MP: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, please clarify your position on the removal of female journalists from the press conference of the representative of the Taliban on his visit to India. If your recognition of women’s rights isn’t just convenient posturing from one election to the other, then how has this insult to some of India’s most competent women been allowed in our country”.

·       Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition: “Mr. Modi, when you allow the exclusion of women journalists from a public forum, you are telling every woman in India that you are too weak to stand up for them. Your silence in the face of such discrimination exposes the emptiness of your slogans on Nari Shakti”.

·       Mahua Moitra, TMC MP: “How dare our government allow Taliban foreign minister Amir Muttaqi to exclude women journalists & hold a ‘male-only’ news conference on Indian soil with full protocol.? The government has dishonoured every single Indian woman”.

Additional Information

·       The Ministry of External Affairs later clarified that India had “no involvement” in organizing the press interaction, stating the decision was entirely made by Afghan officials

·       Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen later defended the exclusion as “unintentional,” claiming limited passes were available and citing it as a “technical matter”

·       When questioned about women’s rights in Afghanistan, Muttaqi dismissed concerns as “propaganda” and stated that every country has its own customs and laws

·       The press conference featured the Taliban flag prominently displayed with a painting of the Bamiyan Buddhas (destroyed by the Taliban in 2001) visible in the background

·       This marked the first high-level Taliban delegation visit to India since the group seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021

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Impact Analysis

·       Political Fallout
Opposition parties have used this incident to launch scathing attacks on the Modi government’s foreign policy approach. Congress leaders, particularly Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, have questioned the government’s commitment to women’s empowerment, calling it mere “election posturing”. The controversy has become a major political talking point with hashtags like #TalibanPressMeet trending on social media platforms.

·       Diplomatic Relations
Despite the controversy, India proceeded with upgrading diplomatic ties with the Taliban administration. The decision to reopen the embassy in Kabul signals India’s pragmatic approach to engaging with the Taliban, though critics argue this legitimizes the group’s discriminatory practices. About a dozen countries maintain embassies in Kabul with only Russia formally recognizing the Taliban government.

·       Women’s Rights Movement
The incident has reignited discussions about Taliban’s systematic oppression of women in Afghanistan. Since 2021, the Taliban have banned girls from education beyond sixth grade, restricted women from most workplaces and implemented severe dress codes. Recent reports indicate the Taliban have even banned women from hearing each other’s voices during prayer and prohibited books authored by women from universities.

·       Media Coverage
Journalists across India have condemned the incident as an unprecedented attack on press freedom and gender equality. Several senior journalists have called for solidarity among media professionals with some suggesting that male journalists should have walked out in protest. The incident has highlighted the challenges of covering Taliban-related events while maintaining journalistic principles.

Conclusion

The Taliban Foreign Minister’s exclusion of women journalists from his Delhi press conference represents more than a diplomatic controversy—it symbolizes the ongoing struggle between progressive values and authoritarian policies. While India pursues strategic engagement with Afghanistan’s current administration, the incident raises critical questions about the boundaries of diplomatic accommodation and the price of political pragmatism.

The widespread condemnation from opposition leaders, journalists and civil society demonstrates India’s commitment to gender equality, even as the government navigates complex geopolitical realities. This controversy serves as a stark reminder that women’s rights remain under severe threat in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, making international advocacy and solidarity more crucial than ever.

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